The World Health Organization has urged Taliban authorities to remove restrictions on Afghan female aid workers, enabling them to travel independently and assist women in need of medical care following a devastating earthquake that claimed 2,200 lives in eastern Afghanistan.
“A significant issue now is the growing scarcity of female staff in these areas,” Dr. Mukta Sharma, deputy representative of WHO’s Afghanistan office, told Reuters.
She estimated that about 90% of medical staff in the region were male, with the remaining 10% mostly being midwives and nurses rather than doctors capable of treating serious injuries. This situation hinders care as many women feel uncomfortable or fearful interacting with male staff and traveling alone for treatment.
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The September 1 earthquake, with a magnitude of 6, and its aftershocks injured over 3,600 people and left thousands homeless in a nation already facing severe aid reductions and multiple humanitarian crises since the Taliban assumed control in 2021 after foreign forces withdrew.
The Afghan health ministry and a Taliban administration spokesperson have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The Taliban claims to respect women’s rights according to its interpretation of Islamic law and previously stated they would ensure women receive aid. In 2022, their administration ordered Afghan female NGO staff to cease working outside the home. Humanitarian officials note there have been exceptions, particularly in health and education, but these are insufficient for a substantial increase in female staff, especially during emergencies requiring travel.
This results in uncertainty for aid organizations and female staff, Sharma noted, sometimes preventing them from taking risks.
“The restrictions are significant, the mahram (male guardian) requirement persists, and no formal exemption has been provided by the de facto authorities,” she added, mentioning that her team raised the issue with authorities last week.
“That’s why we felt compelled to advocate with (authorities) to emphasize the urgent need for more female health workers, allowing us to recruit from other areas where they are available,” she explained.
Sharma expressed deep concern about women’s future access to mental health services for trauma and for those whose male family members died, leaving them to face restrictions without a male guardian.
Peer Gul from Somai district in Kunar province, hard-hit by the quakes, reported that many women in his village suffered trauma and high blood pressure after the earthquake, struggling to get medical attention.
“There’s no female doctor for exams; only one male doctor is present,” he said.
Sharma highlighted the declining number of Afghan female doctors as the Taliban barred female students from high school and university, hindering the replenishment of women doctors.
The UN estimates around 11,600 pregnant women were affected by the quakes in a country with some of Asia’s highest maternal mortality rates.
Funding cuts, including those by the US administration this year, have already shaken the health system. About 80 health facilities have shut down in affected areas this year due to US aid cuts, and an additional 16 health posts closed due to earthquake damage, Sharma noted.
